Earth moving device



H. H. PEARSQN EARTH MOVING DEVICE May 29, 1934.

'Fiied Aug. 18, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. HEfiBE/W H PEARJO/V ATTORNEY.

May 29, 1934. v PEARSON 1,961,011

EARTH MOVING DEVICE FiledAug. 18, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. HERBERT H; PEARSON A TTORN E Y.

Patented May 29, 1934 EARTH MOVING DEVICE Herbert H. Pearson, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, assignor to La Plant-Choate Manufacturing Company Incorporated, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a corporation of Delaware Application August is, 193,2, Serial No. 629,297

' 11 Claims. 01. 37-144) My invention relates to earth moving devices and has particular relation to a scraper blade,

a plow or the like, and means for adjustably securing it to a tractor or other prime mover.

It is a common expedient to mount a scraper blade, a plow, or the like on a framework which is pivotally attached to a tractor with the blade in front of the tractor, but I have observed that such mountings are not always satisfactory for the reason that the blade is not readilyadjustable to vary the depth and angle of cut and ,to throw the material to one side or the 'other'as desired. The devices of the prior art have been found to vary the depth and angle of out under load.

I have, therefore, devised a new and improved mounting for scraper blades and the like, which permits adjustment of the'blade at any angle of incidence with respect to the ground, which permits adjustment of the blade to throw the material to the right or the left as desired, and which permits tilting of the blade from side to side. The construction of the blade-attaching means is simple and sturdy, and the position of the blade will not vary under load.

A general object of my invention is to provide a new and improved means for attaching a scraper blade, a plow, or the like to a framework, which in turn is adapted to be pivotally attached to a tractor or other prime mover.

A' more particular object of my invention is to provide an attaching means for attaching a scraper blade orthe like to a tractor to permit adjustment of the blade to vary the angle of incidence with regard to the ground, to permit tilting of the blade, and to permit the blade to be swung about a vertical axis to throw material to the right or left as desired.

Another object of my invention is to provide an attaching means of the above description which is simple and rugged in construction and reliable and steady in operation.

Other and further features and objects of my invention will be moreap'parent to those skilled in theart upon a consideration of the accompanying drawings and following specification, wherein. is disclosed several exemplary embodiments of the invention, with the understanding, however, that such changes may be made thereinas fall within a scraper-blade-supporting .structure including my new and improved means for attaching the scraper blade to thescraper-blade-supporting framework.

Figure 2 is a view in enlarged perspective of the centrally located pivot means for adjustably securing the scraper blade to the nose of the bladesupportin'g framework shown at the right below the nose of the tractor.

Figure 3 is a view in perspective of the blade 5 and the means for securing the blade to the supporting framework. The view is taken from a point beneath the tractor and portions of the supporting framework have been broken away to better show the attaching means. .The blade 7 is shown tilted to the left' to substantially the maximum angle.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the scraper blade,

the attaching means and the nose of the bladesupporti'ng framework.

Figure 5 is a view in perspective of a modified form of the centrally located pivot meansshown in Figure 2 with the mounting arranged so as to vary the angle of incidence of the blade, and

Figure 6 is a view in perspective of one of the v means utilized for transmitting the horizontallyacting load, acting on the scraper blade, to the nose of theblade-supporting framework.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to Figure 1 thereof, there is indicated at in, generally, a portion of the front end of a tractor. The nose portion of a scraper-blade-supporting framework is indicated generally at 11. Since the tractor and the scraper blade supporting framework constitute no part of my present invention except in their connection with the scraper blade and the attaching means therefor, they will not be described in detail, except insofar as they constitute a part of the structure for adjustably securing the blade. The scraper-blade-supporting framework 11 includes beams (notshown) v,extending one on each side of the tractor toward the rear thereof and usually pivotally engaged to the tractor at some intermediate points along the side thereof to permit the front end of the supporting framework to be raised and lowered as desired to raise and lower the scraper blade. In the present case the front. end or nose of the supporting framework ends in a triangular structure having the apex of the triangle directly in front of the radiator of the tractor, and having beams 12 and 13, constituting two sides of the triangle, extending from the apex to theside members of the'blade supporting framework. The members '12. and Here preferably joined at the apex by means of a channel member 14.

In the present instance, the scraper blade, shown at 16, is comprised of a single blade member suitably curved in vertical section and with the bottom edge considerably advanced with regard to the top edge so that material may be picked up by the blade as it advances and thrown back upon other material which is picked up later so as to form a pile of material in front of the blade. The material picked up and thus rolled back upon itself works toward the rear-most end of the scraper blade and if not discharged at some intermediate point, as when the blade passes over a hollow in the ground, is finally discharged from the rearmost end of the blade. stiffened at each end by means of side plates or wings 17 and 18 and by means of the attaching brackets hereinafter described.

It may be readily understood that it is desirable that the scraper blade be pivotally mounted at or near its center, on the blade-supporting framework, to discharge the material to the left or the right as desired. It is apparent also that it is desirable that the blade be adjustable to permit it to tilt to the left or the right to cause it to cut more deeply at one side than the other as for instance for crowning a, road. It is apparent also. that it is desirable that the angle of incidence of the blade with relation to the horizontal be variable to. cause the material to be discharged at variable rates, inasmuch as the rapidity with which the material is rolled is a function of the rate of discharge.

In order to permit the blade to be adjusted in three different planes, I preferably provide a universal joint structure, shown generally at 21, for attaching the central portion of the scraper blade to the framework 11. For the purposes of an explanation of the structure it may be considered that turning the'bladc with one or the other end of the blade to'the rear, is an adjustment in a horizontal plane about the blades vertical axis. Tilting of the blade from side to side as for crowning a road may be considered as adjustment in a vertical plane about the blades transverse horizontal axis. Tilting of the top of the blade forward and back may be considered as an adjustment of theelements of the blade about the blades horizontal, longitudinal axis.

The scraper shown in Figures 1 and 2 is capable of adjustment only about its vertical axis and about its transverse, horizontal axis, but a means of securing adjustment about the blades horizontal, longitudinalaxis is shown in the modified form of the invention shown in Figure 5.

The pivotal mounting 21 is comprised of a spade-like frame tie 22 having a'horizontallyextending portion 23 adapted to fit over the nose of the frame 11 and having openings 24 therein for bolting the plate to the frame. stiffening flanges'26 are provided to assist in carrying the load of the scraper blade and heavy depending flanges 27 are arranged in V-shaped relation to extend down over the sides of the nose of the The blade is the upper end of the shaft 31.

36. The bracket 32 is, of course, suitably curved vertically so as to conform to the contour of the scraper blade 16. A rearwardly extending portion 37 of the bracket is so constructed and disposed as to afford a socket in which the lower end of the shaft 31 may be pivotally engaged. In the construction shown in Figure 2, the rearwardly-extending portion or lug 37 is provided with a rectangular pocket 38 and the lower end 39 of the shaft 31 is formed into a fiat extension adaped to fit into the recess 38 and provided with a suitable opening therein, so that a bolt 41, which passes through the lug 3'7 and through the extension 39, may act as a pivot to permit oscillato'ry movement from side to side of the shaft 31.

A pair of rearwardly extending lugs 42 at the upper edge of the bracket 32 constitute means by which a slide or guide-block 43 may be engaged. In the present instance this is accomplished by means of bolts 44 which pass through the lugs 42 and into the opposite ends of the block 43. Inasmuch as the lugs and bolt construction at either end of the block 43 are identical, only one lug and bolt has been shown.

The slide block 43 constitutes a sector of a circle and is provided with a wide groove 46 on the underside thereof to constitute a guide-way for a rectangular slide 47 which is disposed on The shaft 31 is provided with a collar 48 in order to transmit the load of the weight of the scraper blade from the block 43 to the bracket 22.

It is apparent from the foregoing description that the bracket 32 may oscillate from side to side in a transverse, vertical plane with reference to the frame tie bracket 22 through the agency of the slide 4'7, the slide block 43 and the socket 37 and that it may also pivot about a vertical axis in a horizontal plane with respect to the bracket 22 through the agency of the shaft 3l and bearing 29. The reason for this construction appears hereinafter.

It is apparent that the central-pivot point should be supplemented by some other means to maintain the scraper blade in a desired posi- 3 tion and although this result may be accomplished in a number of ways, a preferred means for accomplishing this result is shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4, taken in connection with Figure 6 which shows the construction of the particular device employed. A pair of complementary brackets 51 and 52, which may be termed the mushroom shaft brackets, are secured one near each end of the scraper blade 16, to the rear wall thereof and at the lower portion. These brackets include a rectangular block 53 having a rectangular vertical opening 54 extending therethrough.

- The rectangular block 53 is provided with suitable flanges 56 which are curved to conform with the curvature of the blade 16 and the flanges are provided with openings 57 therethrough in order that the bracket may be bolted or riveted to the scraper blade 16. 1

A pair of inverted, mushroom-like pads 58,

mounted on rectangular shafts 59, assist in carrying the 'loadof the scraper. The shafts 59 extend upwardly through the rectangular channels 54 and, may be adjusted up and down in the channels. v

A curved member 61, T-shaped in cross-section; with the fiat portion of the 'I projecting toward the rear, constitutes a part of each block 53. This member 61 may be termed the rub iron and its purposeis to afford a guide or support for transmitting pressure from the blade 16 to the frame 11 and also for locking the blade in position to prevent any change in the angle of tilt in a transverse vertical plane. The curvature of the rub-iron 61 is that of a sector of a. circle having the pivot pin 41 as a center, and it is apparent that as the blade 16 tilts from side to side in a transverse vertical plane, a horizontal line from the pivot pin 41 to the rub iron, 61 will always be the same distance. I 1

It is apparent then that the rub iron brackets 62, which are fastened to the framework 11 by bolts 63, may act as a guide for the rub-iron 61. Each bracket 62 is provided with a rearwardly extending flange 64 which extends beneath'the frame members 12 and 13 in order-to secure a more solid fastening for the bracket. A pair of forwardly extending ears 66 on the bracket 62 extend one on each side of the rub iron 61 when the rub iron is against the rub iron bracket, and

a roller 67, rotatably mounted in theears 66,

affords meansfor permitting rolling contact between the rub iron 61 and the rub iron bracket 62.

A series of openings 68 are provided in the rub iron 61, and pairs of corresponding openings 69 in the bracket 62 afford means whereby a pin may be passed through one of the pairs of openings 69, and through one of the openings 68, to hold the scraper blade in any desired angle of tilt in the transverse, vertical plane. The blade may be locked in position in this manner for making a cut, as for instance in crowning a road, or may be permitted to move up and down so that the blade may floa in a vertical transverse plane with respect to the tractor.

As has been stated it is sometimes desirable that material be discharged from the left end of the scraper blade and at other times from the right. This result is accomplished by the structure more particularly shown in Figure 4. The shaft 31, since it is journaled in the bearing 29 'forpivotal movement about a vertical axis, permits the blade 16 to move in a horizontal plane, and the limit of such movement is reached when one or the other of the rub irons 61 strike a rub-iron roller 67.

Ordinarily the scraper blade need only be adjusted in a horizontal plane to one of two positions. When the blade is adjusted to one or the other of these two positions I prefer to hold the blade in the desired position by means of a linkage shown at '71 in Figure 4. Brackets '72 are provided at either end of the scraper blade 16 close to the 'ends thereof and these brackets are provided with suitable flange members '73, by. which the bracket may be secured to the scraper blade 16, and with suitable reinforcing members 74 for taking the horizontal load on the scraper blade.

A rearwardly extending lug '76 provides means by which a link '77 may be pivotally secured to the bracket. A pivot pin '78 is employed for pinning the link '77 to the bracket '72, and this pin is fastened to the bracket J72 by means of a chain '79 so that it can not become lost when not in use.

The linkage 7'7 is preferably constructed of a pipe having plugs and 81 at'either end thereof to act as pivots for the pivot pins '78. Brackets 82 are provided on each of the frame members 12 and 13 and the brackets are secured to each of the frame members by means of bolts 83. The brackets 82 are provided with suitable forwardlyextending flanges 84 to receive the end 81 of the link '71. Chains '79 are provided which are fas-r tened to the frame members 12 and 13 in order that the pivot pins '78 will not be lost..

It is apparent that the link '71 will act to hold one end or the other of the scraper blade 16 in a forward position depending on whether the linkage is employed on the right-hand or the lefthand side of the scraper, or that two short links similar to the links '71 may be employed, one at each end of the scraper for holding it at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the tractor.

As has been stated, it is sometimes desirable that the scraper blade be adjustable for tilting forwardly or to the rear in a longitudinal plane about a transverse axis for varying the rate of discharge of material from the scraper. This result may be accomplished in a number of ways, but I prefer to do this by means of the structure shown in Figure 5. In this structure a bracket 32a is employed which is substantially the same as the bracket 32 hereinbefore described and shown in Figure 2, but this bracket is modified by substituting a cup or socket member 37a for the lug 3'7. The shaft 31a. is provided with a hemispherical ball 39a and the joint thereby becomes a ball and socket joint capable of oscillation forwardly and rearwardly'as well as from side to side; The slide block 4311. is of substantially the same construction as the slide block 43 previously described, but is provided in addition with V- shaped vertically-extending notches 92 for selectively receiving the lugs 91. A plurality of openings 93 are provided through the walls of the lugs 42a,- and the slide block 43a may thus be fastened in any one of several positions with relation to the lugs 42a so as to hold the blade 16 in a tilted position forwardly and rearwardly as desired. When the block 4311 is located in the desired corresponding notches 92, it may be locked in place by means of a bolt 44. It is apparent, therefore, that the structure shown in Figure 5 permits the blade to be tilted forwardly and rearwardly as desired.

It is apparent that by means of my new and improved structures, the scraper blade may be adjusted from side toside as desired and held in that position, that the blade may be tilted in a transverse plane as desired and held in any selected position of tilt, and that the blade may also be tilted forwardly or rearwardly as desired and held in that position. It is apparent therefore that universal adjustment of the blade in all three planes is obtained and that the blade may be held in any of these positions solidly and rigidly so that it will not move or deflect under a load.

Although I have described several embodiments ,of my invention, it is apparent that further modifications may be made by those skilled in the art. Such modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claims. For instance, although I may show certain devices, such as the slide block 43 and the rub-iron 61 attached to the plow blade, and the shaft 31 and roller 6'7 and bracket 66 attached to the plow supporting frame 11, it is apparent that these parts may be reversed in position. Such reversal of parts is to be considered as within the scope of my invention and within thescope of the claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the character described, a scraper blade, a blade supporting framework, a shaftpivotally comiected between the blade and the framework to permit movement of the blade about a vertical axis, and a slide andslide block operatively comiected with the shaft to permit rotation of the blade about a horizontal axis.

2. In a device of the character described, a scraper blade, a blade supporting framework, a bracket on the blade supporting framework, a slide block-carried bythe scraper blade, a shaft pivotally attached to the scraper blade engaged by the supporting bracket, and a slide for the end of the shaft engaged within the slide way of the slide block to permit tilting of the scraper blade with reference to the framework.

3. In a plow structure adapted to be mounted on a tractor, a plow supporting structure engaged to the tractor and projecting forwardly therefrom, a bracket mounted on the supporting framework, a plow, a bracket on the rear of the plow, a vertical shaft pivotally secured to the bracket on the plow, a slide block also secured to the bracket on the plow, a slide engaged in the slide block for oscillatory movement and mounted upon the end of the shaft, the bracket on the supporting framework being adapted to pivotally engage the shaft.

4. In a device of the character described, a tractor, a plow-supporting framework, a plow, means for pivotally engaging the plow with the plow-supporting framework, means for holding the plow in any desired position in a horizontal plane with reference to the tractor comprising a strut at one end of the scraper and a rub-ironbracket at the other end of the scraper, and

means on the plow-supporting framework adjacent the rub-iron for slidably engaging the rub-iron.

5. In a device of the class described, a tractor,

a plow supporting framework, a plow blade pivotally attached to the plow-supporting framework for adjustment in a horizontal plane and also for adjustment in a vertical transverse plane, and means for slidingly engaging one end of the plow with the frame comprising a roller on the 40 frame and a curved rub-iron on the end of the plow blade.

- 6. In a device of the class described, a tractor,

a plow supporting framework, a plow blade pivotally attached to the plow-supporting framework for adjustment in a horizontal plane and also for adjustment in a vertical transverse plane, and means for slidingly engaging one end of the plow with the frame comprising a roller on the frame and a curved rub-iron on the end of the plow blade, a bracket on the plow supporting framework for rotatably engaging the roller, the rub iron and the bracket having cooperating openings therein, whereby the plow-blade may be locked to prevent vertical movement thereof.

7. In a device of the character described, a plow supporting framework, a plow blade pivotally secured to the plow supporting framework for universal adjustment, and means for holding the blade in any desired position in a horizontal plane comprising a strut at one end of the blade, and means for slidingly engaging the blade with the framework disposed at the other end of the blade.

8. In a device of the character described, a plow supporting framework, a. plow blade pivotally secured to the plow supporting framework,

and means at each end of the plow supporting framework having a curved member the radius of curvature of which is the distance from the pivot point of the plow to the member, whereby the curved member may rest against the plowsupporting framework when the plow blade is turned in a horizontal plane at an angle to the line of motion of the plow and will engage the plow supporting framework at the same point regardless of the tilt of the plow.

9. In a device of the class described, a supporting framework, a scraper blade pivotally engaged on the scraper framework for adjustment in a horizontal plane and movement in a transverse vertical plane, means for carrying the load imposed on the blade when it is tilted to an extreme position in the horizontal plane comprising a curved rub-iron member, and a bracket adapted to slidably engage the curved portion of the rub-iron member.

10. In a device of the class described, a supporting framework, a scraper blade pivotally engaged on the scraper framework for adjustment in a horizontal plane and movement in a transverse vertical plane, and a rub iron adapted to hold the blade in a selected position in the horizontal'planebut adapted to permit tilting movement of the blade in a vertical plane,-comprising a curved contacting member and a member adapted to slidingly engage the curved member.

11. In a device of the character described, a blade supporting framework, a blade, means for pivotally attaching the blade to the blade supporting framework, a rub iron bracket secured to the rear of the bladeand having a curved contacting member and a vertical opening to receive the shaft of a mushroom skid, and a mushroom skid having a shaft adapted to fit in the opening of the rub-iron.

HERBERT H. PEARSON. 

